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reynie-muldoons · 4 years ago

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'The Art of Conveyance and Round-Trippery' Liveblog!

Sorry this is a few days late!! I moved across the country this weekend, we drove like 13 hours within 2 days and we did a lot of heavy lifting. I'm exhausted, but the boxes are slowly emptying and I've been wanting to watch this episode so gd bad, so LESGO

Over halfway through the season!!!! That's absolutely surreal

1:11 oooh they're getting their royal fitting

1:22 LMAOO WTF 😂😂 Princess Diaries vibes

1:42 ✨CONFIDENCE✨

1:52 Alfonse is a perfect name for that guy HAHA

2:05 Nathaniel, my guy, you've made some points

2:11 "do you feel your power?" POWER RANGERS, GO

2:24 no no hesitation just prolly thinkin bout how he was caught cheatin

2:39 "can you not allow yourselves luxury?" okay fr I feel that I get Nice Things Guilt(tm) too easily

2:52 dayummmm let's talk about Sticky being a hat stall between Hufflepuff and Gryffindor, mans is brave as fuck under extreme pressure and loyal to the point of putting himself on the line

3:15 bro Sticky getting some recognition. Love to see it, he deserves it

3:19 "is that a coincidence? Or written in the stars?" IS DR. CURTAIN CATCHING ON THAT THEY KNEW EACH OTHER BEFORE OR LIKEEEE

3:49 WHAT WORD AROUND CAMPUS 😭😭😭 MY BOYS ARE NOT A MISTAKE HOW DARE YOU

4:09 why doess the action of Dr. Curtain putting the sash on them seem so nefarious

4:36 I dont really understand the whole pastel yellow, blue, and pink palette of the school but the boys both look pretty okay in their vest-sash getup

4:42 THE OPENINGGGGG. This shit slaps.

5:41 Kate and Constance look so fucking cute in that shot, dont ask me why but hnnggggg

5:54 sash rope 😂😭 kate, honey, that's a reach

6:09 it might feel buttery, but, my guy, it also looks buttery. It's literally the color of butter. Get yourself some crisco

6:24 I find it kinda interesting that they made up new riddles for the show, I'm almost positive that that one wasn't in the book. Correct me if I'm wrong though

7:03 "I'm not gonna apologize for knowing things" the sass. the ✨confidence✨. living for it

7:03 If they build on that it sets Sticky up really nicely for the arc in the second book where he starts to show off a little

7:15 tiny Constance who is constantly dressed in pink with cute little braids is the perfect medium for the most morbid comments 😂😂

7:55 Martina's hot in her uniform. Can't prove me wrong.

8:15 why does that make me sad 🥺 eat with your friendssss. iirc they only talked about eating at the Messenger table in the books

8:26 dipshits forgot their lunches. Seems Constance is holding the communal braincell atm

8:50 anyone have Guiness on speed dial? Reynie and Sticky have a submission for them

9:25 oh hello this was alluded to in the preview!!! Morse code is compromised, rip

10:05 so are Jackson and Jillson stuck with night guard duty all the time?? They've been outside at night a lot

10:18 ahhhhhh the little blinkie light, stopppp

10:25 MILLIGANNNNN!!!

10:25 so is this the point where he starts staying on the island with them????

10:39 so are they just like "fuck it we'll do it right before sundown" ???? Like Jackson and Jillson are still gonna be on the lookout, they aren't gonna chill just because it's not fully dark

10:50 did the kids.....just not tell them that Mr. Bloom was on the island 😂 nice oversight guys

11:05 MADGE TIME MADGE TIME

11:05 remind me to tell you guys a story about Madge, I may or may not have done something irl a few years ago that would make y'all proud 😂😂😂

11:16 idk why but it makes me so happy that they kept Madge as a peregrine falcon

11:37 Rhonda, my love, you have my heart in your hands

11:46 roll credits

12:05 THE HEAD SHAKE HAHAHAH

12:06 Awww man, I was so excited for Milligan to be on the island .-. He must have been scoping out the inlet

12:07 "they're quite regal" A. I read the subtitles as "legal" the first time and that's somehow really in character for him, and B. IS MILLIGAN GOING TO NAME HER???!? HER MAJESTY???? PLEASE I WOULD LOVE THAT SO MUCH

12:15 his grimace KILLS ME

12:17 the hard cut from Nicholas in a brown setting and brown suit to Nathaniel in a blue setting and blue suit was lowkey striking

12:36 are they looking up Morse code 😳 can you imagine if they wrote down the message and are now decoding it

12:41 omfg all that for a HAT 🙃 I feel stupid

12:51 two things: 1. Those walls are atrocious, and 2. Yeah, talk about Morse code in a louder voice Connie girl, you're just in a public hallway

13:03 I'm sorry but those orange pillar things are not the vibe

13:03 the golden gate bridge called, they want their arches back

13:10 please let Kate climb the tower before the end of season 1. please.

13:22 y'all are about to be flying something else 😎

13:33 cleansing breaths

13:47 OH HELLO MESSENGER DUTY ALREADY??

14:06 what the heck is that teal pole for 😭😭

14:12 blindfold timeeee

I'm so sorry but I'm exhausted, it's 11:30 pm on Sunday night right now, I'll finish this episode tomorrow morning after I get some sleepies

Good morningggg lesgetatit

14:50 "vomit of metal" ashhdjdjd

15:16 a wild Martina appears!

15:36 and if you folks look to your left, you'll see a wild Constance being the voice of reason once again

15:57 "lose the bucket" "I'm not gonna do that" HELL YEAH KATE

16:07 I get not having the bucket on the court lolol, I thought Martina was telling Kate to lose the bucket in general. Like, yeah, good luck convincing her to so that

16:35 show!Kate is much angrier than book!Kate and I'm still deciding how I feel about that. The Kate we've known from the books is a sunshine baby with looots of repressed trauma.

17:03 ......what is that. why is that.

17:11 WAIT IS THAT SUPPOSED TO BE REYNIE AHEHDJDJD

17:15 HI MADGE

17:41 the grand swell in the music makes me think it's going to go comically wrong

17:51 she's majestic because she's a queen 🥺

18:03 LMAO CALLED IT

18:14 Rhonda and Number Two getting at each other is such a sisterly thing to do 😂😂😂

18:37 ohhhhh? Someone's approaching? Miss Perumal perhaps????

18:45 YEAHHHHH BABY

18:50 PROTECTIVE MOM COMIN IN HOT!!!

19:22 THEYRE SO PRECIOUS 😭😭😭😭 I feel like I've been subconsciously starved for her and Mr. Benedict's interactions

19:36 died at that line in the one trailer

20:00 so Miss Perumal pulled a Sherlock Holmes. Love that for her

20:20 Cheri Tupintown??? Of all the aliases they could pick, Cheri Tupintown???

20:33 "Power in Truth Inc" that HAS to be something Rhonda came up with

21:01 you can literally watch Mr. Benedict realize that this is a woman not to be fucked with and he is CORRECT

21:23 "he's fine. Perfectly fine." At this, Mr. Benedict's pants caught aflame.

21:52 something about Constance sitting in on practice!!! It scratches an itch!!!!

22:19 "incorporate the helix. Live in the helix." Lord Helix is pleased with this offering.

22:26 so what I'm hearing is Kate is going to blow up on Constance for messing with the bucket

23:13 unrelated but Jillson'a shoes are cute

23:29 why does this room give off Johnny Depp's willy wonka vibes

24:13 that looks like a chair from a doctor's office waiting room 😭

25:29 they do be egg heads tho

26:02 baby girl, I have no idea why you're crying at weird art but let me dry your tears 🥺🥺

26:50 SHE FOUND ITTTT

27:27 okay Indiana Jones, go off

27:46 why did that kinda sound like Miss Perumal

28:43 the return of everyone's favorite, "enjoyable"

29:05 not that I'm not loving the ice breaker questions and the one-sided conversation, but I'm not loving it

29:22 oh so we're getting right into it aren't we

29:54 his eyes being open again makes this infinitely creepier

30:36 "where's your proof?" Miss Perumal doesnt fuck around!!!

31:29 you're telling me Constance has been there all day?? And Kate went to find her???? 🥺

31:58 oh so we're getting right to it then?? Kate addressing her independence and trust issues arc????

33:29 NEWS!!!!

33:49 CONSTANCE RIDING PIGGYBACK!!!!!!

34:04 okay, so they opened the murder hole, what are they gonna do now

34:59 Italian? 🤨 m'sir that is so fancy

34:59 fun story I learned Italian diction in college, so I know a little bit

35:16 "take your time" the whisperer says, immediately repeating the prompt to get the answer sooner

35:31 theeeeere it is

35:46 SOMETHING ABOUT THE WHISPERER SAYING "YOU ARE HOME" 😭😭😭 the show really played up the cult shit!!

36:02 Kate being protective of Constance 🥺

36:20 ohhh shit is it time for Connie girl to have double Reynie? Double Sticky?

36:36 STICKY

36:52 "what kind of nonsense?" HAVE THEY NOT ASKED THAT BEFORE THIS?????

37:14 "and your tiny brain can somehow pick it up!!" KATE STOP 😂😂😂

37:16 "I knew you had to be special in some way." WE DONT HAVE TIME TO UNPACK ALL OF THAT

37:51 she's right, this is disregard for their safety. The show made Mr. Benedict and his team a lot more back-alley and dishonest, and Miss Perumal has every reason to be pissed

38:30 oh good they finally remembered he has narcolepsy

39:38 and the best mom award goes to:

40:38 I was gonna say that this hallway is how I imagined the KEEP in riddle of ages but then I remembered that (spoilers) the Institute is the KEEP

40:46 oh, hello propoganda

41:10 that's the other person Rhonda couldn't contact, along with Mr. Bloom. This has to be the brainsweeping process

41:22 yeppppp

41:44 this dark doctor's office theme gives me horror movie vibes

42:22 ohhhh, so that's how they replaced that scene where the four of them jump in a crate to hide and Sticky drops his glasses in the open

42:47 and so we've come to the part of the story where Sticky and Reynie become infinitely more conflicted

42:47 and since we've reached that point..... can we have the white knight scene? Pretty please? Please Disney I'm begging you-

43:12 so Reynie just figured that out without Constance? :/

44:03 love the manipulation

44:31 I'm sorry, the farm?

44:35 farm and forest????

45:16 "the Emergency has served its purpose" 😳 well okay then murder man

45:39 "one thought, one purpose" the hive mind rises once more

45:48 LOVE THE MANIPULATION

46:07 "what have you done to earn anyone's trust?" VALID

46:26 "please do!" WHY AM I EMOTIONAL

47:06 "we still have the falcon" that you do 😂

47:19 AYYY HERE WE GO!!! Time for Milligan to stay on the island??

47:49 ohhhh Constance, casual telepath strikes again

48:16 "stop it, Kate!" OOOOHHHHH

48:53 that line ("it would be nice to be unburdened") would be funny as shit if not for the fact that Constance is a telepath unbeknownst to herself and can both subconsciously perceive people's thoughts and hear the subliminal messages

49:20 HI MRS. PERUMAL!!!

49:25 wow, she's really going through with it 😳 not that I doubted her, but still, that's dedication

49:39 OH SHIT

50:17 oh, so he's an asshole to SQ too. Got it. Torches and pitchforks? Ready to kick his ass?

50:40 "for the moment, anyway" FUCKIN WHAT

This episode was really good!!! They covered a LOT. I hope Miss Perumal comes back to the group and talks about her findings, I hope Milligan goes to get the kids and they tell him no, and I hope they get that classic 4-person Society brainstorming and binding time that hits that sweet spot

#mbs disney+#mbs liveblog #the art of conveyance and round trippery #the mysterious benedict society #charity's talkies

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rosesnink · 5 years ago

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The Cursed Heiress, Chapter 3: Consequences

A/N: This took longer than expected to publish! But it’s here and I hope you guys enjoy it!

Summary: While Joanna experiments the courtly life, a dark force threatens her life.

Previously: Prologue Chapter I Chapter II

TW: Some violence.

Word Count: 3861

The day Joanna woke up, she looked at her fingers. She knew what happened: she was getting attached to a human, and soon, all she worked for would be gone. Forever.

If Elias taught her something, it was that everything came with a price. Even for half-bloods. That was living between two worlds. Two different legacies. Two ways of living.

She sighed as the clock ticked it was now dawn. She got dressed with her witch habit: high-heeled boots, a skirt with leather leggings, a short corset and a tailcoat that fitted her just fine. She descended the stairs where she embraced Elias fraternally: his gray eyes, his white, long hair and his dressing of the Tudor era with his headpiece, showing his role in the Circle.

“Elias, at long last. We don’t have much time before the Countess calls me upon the other ladies”

“Leave that to me. Now, follow me. I found a perfect spot for us”

The field was near a ruined castle, all the yellow and amber tones.

She looked at Elias and saluted him. Then, they faced each other, waiting for one of them to strike. Her staff was tight and magical, and his was but a simple staff. She decided to start it. She ran upon him and jumped high, preparing the strike and the accompanied spell. Elias barely dodged it, but it hit him. He striked and she blocked, sometimes dodging a high and low attack, her eyes never leaving Elias. He got her extremities blocked, but she casted a spell that sent him flying across the field and jumped with a backflip and grabbed his neck.

“How about we slow time so we can perfectly do this?”

“Anything to avoid sewing”

They both grabbed their arms and casted a slow time spell, and when everything went slow, they stared at each other.

“Again?”

“Though you’d never ask”

She threw away her staff and guarded herself, following Elias’s lead. He jumped high, and so did she, a protection spell on her. They both collapsed, but Joanna’s side won and she fell on the top of him, rolling across the field. They both jumped up and Joanna dodged a punch and kicked high, kicking him in the chin, gave him a left crochet, dodging his jab and attacking with a swing. She hitted him with a right jab and a needle, dodging his left crochet and kicking him in the ribs, then on the knee and casting a spell that threw him to the floor.

He laughed “Nice job, kid. I guess you’re improving”

“Guess? I am improving”

“Oh yeah?”

She smirked at him and helped him up and then casted a spell “Ventures” And sent him flying across the forest!

She ran for him in a minute and catched him in the Edgewater gardens, a proud smile on his face “Ha! Should’ve seen that coming”

“You should, yes”

She helped him get up and brushed off the dirt and mud off his clothes. They walked across the estate, casting protection spells and warning of when someone with bad intentions, human or not, came in and out of the estate.

“You should really prepare yourself for the sewing circle. My power lasts that much, alas, I have matters to attend”

Joanna sighed as she nodded, a pained expression on her face.

“May I?”

“You must”

With a blink, he disappeared.

It was a nice day in the Royal Court of the faeries. Lamrian was all gold and glory, and the man hesitated before coming in. Once in the throne room, he bowed down the monarchs.

“Lord Elric. Lady Thalissa. I’m glad that you acceded to meet with me. Is your son well?”

“Tialo is just fine”

“But what do you want?”

“As you know, a half-blood lives among us. She’s half witch, half human.”

“We know. She seems harmless.”

“But you forget that she carries an important duty and that her birth means a big change in all our species”

“What do you mean?” Lord Elric seemed confused.

“She’s very powerful, my lord. So powerful it might mean the unification of all of us… or a real destruction of the supernatural world. And she’s getting close to a real darkness and I know who it is.”

“What do you suggest, then?”

“The same I suggested to the Alpha of the London pack and King Gaius… destroy the girl before her power increases. And the magician who is corrupting her”

As Joanna ran across the halls of the estate, damning Elias for a good breakfast before sewing circle, she could already hear the women’s giggles and conversations. She made a last sprint… slamming the door open and panting. She recovered her shape quickly and bowed in greet.

“Morning ladies. Countess Henrietta. A thousand apologies in my delay to our meeting, but my tutor insisted on a benefitting breakfast after some arduous lessons. However, that’s not excuse”

Some women were there. Miss Sutton. The Masked. A black woman with a rather dashing port. Countess Henrietta.

“We were wondering if you were too ashamed of showing up, but do join us!”

“Hmmph, lateness on sewing circle is unladylike-“

“That is a matter that you can discuss with my tutor and the earl since the agreement is between them, since you seem to have a say on my activities”

The Countess glared at her and watched instead her embroidery. She snorted “Your mother is a seamstress and yet you lack of an ability of sewing”

“It wasn’t in my raising activities, I’m afraid” But I can surely crack your skull like a wood stick.

“Ahem, Lady Joanna, I see you haven’t been properly introduced to the ladies! This is Miss Donna Bowman” She whispered to her low, but Joanna’s impressive hearing did the job anyways “She’s the earl’s bastard, remember?”

“Ohhhhh, I see now!” She turned her attention to her with a smile as fake as her whole I Am A Respectable Woman dress. “It is a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance, Lady Joanna!”

Call me bastard again and I’ll rip off your curls and make of them food for poltergeists, you rich scum “The pleasure is all mine”

“And this is Miss Annabelle Parsons of Hazelvale Manor” Continued Miss Sutton.

She took a look at her and smiled warmly “Pray tell, this is the beauty I’ve tampled the other day?”

Miss Parsons blushed at the compliment but stayed still on her composture.

“I am, indeed. Pleased to finally meet you, my lady”

She could see there was a major reason why she seemed different to other people, other ladies. But she wasn’t quite sure. But she’ll find out surely. She thought of what Elias told her about the mortal women: they were taught to find a husband, compete against each other and live for men. Joanna found that absurd. Why live for such a weak sex? Not that Joanna hated men, just most of them were quite manageable, manipulative and easy to control. Her mother didn’t even need to use the charm spell or a love potion. She just had to adjust her corset, unbutton a simple button, bat eyelashes and smile innocently and that man was at her mercy and command. The majority thinks about power, glory and make of women their instrument to produce heirs and keep their useless lives going on after they were ashes. Things weren’t like that.

In this world, kids were made nonstop, armies of them and all were sun and the moon, marrying them off with strangers with temporal money and glory, and women were sold off to old and rich lechers who had seven mistresses and carried bastards around the country. They gambled, smoked, fornicated nonsense and made money in the most stupid way. But she had to say, that Harriette Wilson mortal was giving them a lesson and she was there for it.

She looked again to her companions, sewing and talking, not noticing she had spaced out… At least most of them, for Miss Parsons was staring at her curiously. She looked at her back and arched an eyebrow “Trying to guess what’s on my mind?” She nodded “Any success yet?”

“Not at all, my lady. You’re an absolute enigma”

“At least I look good?” She teased her, leaning closer to her, a smirk on her face.

“I won’t deny it”

“I take this is your awful routine. Giggling ladies, talking about tasteless buffoons called men and sip tea?”

Annabelle chuckled “It’s not always that bad, but your presence makes it quite amusing”

“Oh, I try, but apparently it’s not proper, but why should I lose my sleep for some idiots who assume things that aren’t true at all to explain themselves some senseless things?” Joanna declared, observing some of the ladies.

“You have truly made up your mind about nobility”

“Miss Parsons, Lady Joanna, what’s that you’re talking about? It seems interesting enough to increase your voice and let us have part in it” Countess Henrietta said.

“Yes! Maybe I do have something to apport in this conversation!” Miss Sutton continued “I hate to be left out”

Even if Joanna wished to shut their mouths with a flock of her wrist, she contained herself and made up a well-rehearsed smile “Apologies, ladies. You all seemed so in your own world that I didn’t mean to impose. Miss Parsons and I were just getting along”

“Oh! We’d love to get along with you too! Don’t we, ladies?”

Please say no

“We do!”

She was about to say something when Elias busted into the room, looking worried. He scanned the room until he found Joanna and looked at her “Mills, emergency. Code Raines. Gather your things. Now”

Joanna’s breath catches as she remembers the Code Raines: Adrian Raines was one of Gaius’s soldiers and that meant he had brought some of his army to destroy despair and bloodshed all because he could. She excused herself to the ladies as an ‘important matter that couldn’t go supervised without her’ and she left a fire message to her father to stay safe and close the Edgewater manor until it were safe to open them. She jumped out of her bedroom’s window and charged her rifle with bullets full of holy water and her staff, a present of the high Colonel, that was touched by Angel Miguel. A caress of this and it could melt a vampire, but not kill it. She wasn’t like Gaius Sociopath Agustine. She checked the gardens and the surroundings of the manor. She felt a tap on the back and prepared a punch to the person. It was Elias.

“I’ll check out the other places, you defend your father’s manor”

She nodded as she held her staff tight, looking for any signal of a vampire. She looked around, and with a snap of her fingers, she was in a witch’s armor and with a few more weapons. She was about to inform Elias that it was all a scare when she heard a snap! And Gaius, Adrian all covered so the sun wouldn’t harm him and Kamilah Sayeed bursted out of the shadow.

“There you are, you sons of bitches”

She showed her staff as the vampires showed their weapons and ran straight at her, but she dodged two of them and saw Elias and another creature on her line defense. She found herself face-to-face with Adrian, a growl on his face “We’re here to kill you”.

“Good luck with that, fella” And she striked, dodging his attacks and striking as fast and efficiently as she could, using also her body as a weapon. She’ll stab him with the staff later. She dodged a punch and threw a high kick and then she hitted lower, making him lose balance. They rolled down the gardens and Adrian hurled her out of her grasp and she landed elegantly on her feet, her eyes now amber. She growled as she jumped high and kicked him in several places of the head and landed on her back and rapidly landed on her feet again, dodging another attack and kicked him hard in the chin and twirled her leg to kick him in the jaw, grabbed his attacking arm and twisting it, using now his body in pain to make a deadly spin all over his body and hurling him to the lake, where the bad-tempered ducks seemed positively offended by the intruder’s entrance. She got him out with magic and saw the perfect moment and ran, flexed her knees and jumped as high as she could to then fall like a rapid meteor, stabbing the holy staff on his ankle, making him screech of pain! She kicked him in the knee and broke three of his ribs as she saw how the vampire monarchs started to see the intensity of the sun and retired. She smirked at Gaius as he carried his creation and ran off, screaming that this wasn’t over.

“Anyone else who volunteers to kill me? No? Great, I need refreshments”

“Nice job, kid. You managed him just fine”

“I have a pretty good tutor”

They embraced as she yelled “It’s safe now, Father!”

The ladies busted out of the manor, perplexed. Countess Henrietta glared at her “What have you done?!”

“Countess Henrietta, considering that I saved all your asses for a big disaster and being some bad creature’s dinner, you should show me some respect or your corpse would now belong to some cult fanatics. De nada”

She heard the chuckling of Elias and her father and the giggles of the ladies as she winked at Henrietta and wiped off Adrian’s blood and headed to the mansion. She could feel all the looks on her as she changed and went to the drawing room, all the other ladies following her, expectant of what she’d tell them of the screams and sounds of battle outside. But she had already lied to countless mortals about this. She knew what to say and do to make them believe. Empty lies, sighs, a little of illusion magic on her skin and some occasional charm spell to fulfill the mortal’s constant and annoying curiosity.

“What happened outside, my lady? The earl was pretty distressed when you went outside and the staff locked us in! We couldn’t see a thing!” Ah, Elias, you smart bastard “We only saw shadows moving and then, something jumped high in the air and we heard the scream! It was unhuman!” Miss Sutton said.

“There were some rabid animals that we had to take care of and one of those happened to be a boar, so I attacked it in the air. A simple jump and a little scratch to scare him off, nothing else. We secured the houses in case it tried to attack someone else”

“And the third man?” Miss Bowman asked

“Some friendly backup that was passing by and jumped to help us”

“This is ortageous! Women who fight and take care of a man’s matter and with the help of some white-haired freak?”

She looked straight at Henrietta and the spell started to work on “I know your son could’ve managed it just fine, but he is unfamiliar with rabid animals and could’ve gotten hurt easily, alas me and Elias, who is an expert on these terms and have taught me everything I know, handled worst situations and made it safely. It was all precaution. And the screech was a boar I hurt badly to scare off, you know how these beasts are. You got it clear now?”

Countess Henrietta muttered against her will “I g-got it”

She smiled content “Good! Now, Miss Parsons, how are you so well acquainted with my family?”

Joanna walked through the outsides of the estate as she was engrossed by a big essay by Mary Wollstonecraft titled A Vindication of the Rights of Womans: with Strictures on Political and Moral Subjects. All she said and pointed did had a point and it was better explained than a man could never explain. She passed a chapter as she heard a familiar neigh. She smiled delightedly as she saw Clover and Mr. Harper walking around.

“Hey stranger. Clover”

“Reading a book, I see.” His eyes went wide in curiosity “A forbidden one, I see. Aren’t you afraid that they’ll catch you?”

She smirked at him “Not quite. I happen to be smarter than those brute buffoons. And how’s my beautiful Clover?” She neighed in happiness and she chuckled in delight “I’m glad that you’re alright. And you, Mr. Harper?”

“I’m quite good, taking a walk with Clover so she can breathe fresh air. Right, girl?”

The horse nuzzled her head against Mr. Harper and he petted her head.

“I heard that hours ago you took care of some rabid animals and injured one badly. I’d ask you if you’re alright but you’re unscratched and allow me the boldness, also radiant” Mr. Harper observed.

“Well, it was quite troubling. That boar was big and fast, but nothing I never mismanaged before”

“I’m glad that you’re safe and in one piece. I was concerned about your well-being”

Clover neighed in protest and Mr. Harper chuckled “I’m sorry. We were concerned about your well-being”

“It’s very sweet of both of you to care, but I can take care of myself just fine” Joanna chuckled.

“As much as I enjoy this conversation, I should get going” Luke sighed.

“Don’t let me stop you. I was about to go visit the forest anyways. See you around!”

She turned back where she was going but, in the way, she found her father.

“I see that you and Mr. Harper are getting along” He beamed

“Ah, yes, I find him a delightful company”

“I can see why. We’ve only had him for a year and yet I cannot imagine how the estate was without him”

Even if he was smiling, something seemed to be on his mind.

“Is everything alright, papa?”.

“Yes, it is. I was just trying to find the ideal words to tell you this: in a matter of days, I’ll host a garden party in honor to you and introduce you to society”

“Truly? It wasn’t necessary, Father!”

“I do think it is. I want everyone I know to see who is my daughter!”

She cupped his face in her hands and whispered “You know you have nothing to prove to them, right? Nor I”

“I know, but think about this as a friendly gathering to meet new people and-“

“Please don’t say new romance or I’ll hurl myself to the sun”

He laughed at his daughter’s disgust and squeezed her back “I wasn’t going to say that… exactly. Now, how was Henrietta in the sewing circle? I hope she wasn’t too cruel on you”

“Ah, where to begin…”

She was preparing for bed with Briar when she heard a knock on her door. Joanna looked at her body in her bath and with her view she saw her grandmother’s shape and opened the door with a movement of her finger. Briar curtsied and left them two in the room.

“Is this visit about the garden party?” She asked as her fingers underwater boiled the water and looked at her quizzically.

“It is and I happen to have the most wonderful news!”

She arched an eyebrow as she asked herself to read her mind or let her. She talked again before she could even decide “I just got confirmed that the Duke Tristan of Karlington is coming to your garden party!”

“And that’s good because…?”

“He wants to meet you, obviously! Isn’t it great?”

How could it not be a stupid, probably old man who had a meaningless title came to meet her and compete to have her hand in marriage great? It was utterly stupid. In the Circle, she’d surely be whoever she wanted without a man who followed her day and night. Or a person at all.

“I guess” She shrugged as she got up of her bath and grabbed a towel and started cleaning herself “But be frank with me, Lady Grandmother, how old is he?”

“He isn’t so old! He’s, like, 51 I think-“

“Pass”

The Dowager Countess seemed horrorized “My dear, don’t be so severe on him! In my opinion he is an agreeable gentleman and he has a title, lots of money and impressive lands!”

She turned her head on her and dropped the towel as she looked at her grandmother “Is that all you think about? Sell me off with an old lecher with money that won’t last, a meaningless title that will die in a matter of years and stupid lands? Where’s the longing, the passion, the mutual respect and my opinion on this matter? I don’t even want this life, I just want to be there with my father, not whoring myself to men who will never see me as their equal and losing contact with all I love! I cannot afford love, Lady Grandmother! I-I can’t!”

She digged her long nails in her palms as she breathed and steadied herself “I will not live to serve a man. I hate the idea of marrying for wealth and power and give a stranger unwanted children and endure that I will never be anything else but someone’s wife! I wasn’t raised like that”

Her grandmother was in shock as she processed all she said. Then, she collected herself as she pressed her palm to her shoulder, a little compassion on her eyes “I know you come for a different culture, but you’re now here and this is the only way to ensure a future. I know you don’t want it, but not all men are horrible: Mr. Sinclaire is a very respected gentleman, Mr. Chambers is surely a breath of fresh air and Viscount Westonly can be quite amusing with his hearing problems. We’re humans, we’re flawless, but I surely know you’ll find a man that will love you or grow to and knowing him, living with him, loving him will be the greatest of all adventures. In fact, let’s make a pact”

“Hm. I do love pacts”

“You’ll meet all of them and spend time with them, and if within a year you still think they’re all, ahem, tasteless buffoons as you say, we will not mention marriage and we will see an alternative to make of the Edgewater state a still good state.”

After a few minutes of cavilating, she nodded and shook hands with her grandmother “We have a deal. Now tell me how you court in here and what I’m about to endure, I need to know the territory”

“I was fearing that you wouldn’t be at all interested! Allow me to explain you the art of the fan”

And with that, they talked about boys and fans and courtship until the hour grew late. Joanna repeated to herself ‘Play their game, make them fall for you, but never fall for them’. Yes, that’d be her plan. And no one will ruin it. She won’t make the mistake of her mother. History wouldn’t repeat itself.

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Tagging: @lorirwritesfanfic @missameliep and @hellospunkiebrewster @kamilahsqueen @marlcasters @mrsnazariowalker @amomentofsinclairity @princess-geek @lovemychoices @eiko-helena-kamilah-medusa @i-put-the-sin-in-sinclaire

#desire and decorum #desire and decorum au #the cursed heiress #ernest sinclaire #annabelle parsons #luke harper #prince hamid #earl of edgewater #oc: joanna mills #supernatural au

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